Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part: 2
by Ashley Appleappachia Rae
Summary: This is the story of the Boy Who Lived. After the defeat of Lord Voldemort Harry Potter and his friends began a new life with no wars or conflicts to worry about, only the weight of the dead remains. This is what happened next...


_Contents_

New Beginnings

Chapter one

A dazzling morning sun slowly crept over the snowy mountains surrounding Hogwarts, its light spilling into every crevice of the silent castle. It illuminated everything in the grounds from small creatures that were stirring in the trees to some of the castles eager occupants who were already awake, rooming the hushed grounds or leaning out of its shattered windows to breathe the crisp morning air. The wind swept through the gaping holes in the walls, whistling down the empty corridors, the noise was unnatural in the silent castle. But Harry Potter did not wake; he slept on lightly snoring in his four poster bed. His dormitory was empty of people but muted voices echoed up the spiral staircase from the common room below. Harry's best friend Ron Weasley was making his way up the stairs to check on him, he was doing this on Hermione's orders because she was worried about Harry and did not want to leave him on his own for too long. Both she and Ron knew he would not wake for hours though, Harry was exhausted, dead on his feet, the past few months of chasing Horcrux's had worn him out, but now they were all destroyed and Voldemort along with them so The boy who lived could finally rest.

As Harry dreamt he saw a scene unfold before his eyes that set his heart and pulse racing. Hogwarts was in ruin, bits of rubble still fell from the high turrets of the castle, crashing to the ground with enough force to crush a fully grown giant. Bodies and blood stains appeared every few strides. The place he had come to call home was collapsing around him, just like everything else. Fires still lit the courtyard, the acrid smoke burnt his nostrils and the bodies of gigantic hairy spiders overwhelmed the grounds. Large slabs of broken rock blocked each of the exits out of the grounds and nearly every window on the first two floors had been blown through. In the Great Hall the enormous Ravenclaw and Slytherin hourglasses had shattered and with that spilled their entire contense all over the entrance hall; shining sapphire and emerald jewels littered the floor, people tripped and fell as they tried feebly to run towards the doors. Yells and shouts filled the air; spells were flying in every direction only just missing the blurred figures that ran across his vision, friend or foe he could not discern. His brain kicked into gear, the memories of the battle, the faces of the dead all crowded into his head. Ron's agonised features, Hermione's screams, Hagrid's sobs, Tonks, Lupin and Fred's lifeless faces loomed in the for ground of his mind, eating away at his insides causing him unendurable pain. Then without warning Harry lost his footing and tumbled to the ground. Head still throbbing from where he hit the concrete he twisted round quickly to see what had caused him to trip. Then everything went suddenly silent. Ginny's beautiful limp body lay there, sprawled across the ground. Her eyes stared blankly up at Harry, unmoving and empty.

"Nooo!" he yelled at the empty dormitory

Ron came sprinting in. "Harry! Mate you ok?"

"Ginny! Where's Ginny?" Harry blurted out

"Whoa Harry she's fine, I...I've seen her this morning" Ron spluttered "With Mum and Percy in the Entrance Hall last time I saw her. She's fine" he repeated "What was all that about?"

"I just...a bad dream"

"S,alright. How you feeling?" he asked moving across the room to sit himself on the edge of Harry's bed.

"Physically I'm great. Mentally...I mean I know it's all over and everything...but in the back of my mind it's like it hasn't...

"It hasn't really sunken in yet." Ron finished "I know Voldemorts dead but, Tonks, Lupin and Fred..." He trailed off.

"Yeah something like that, how are you...feeling" Harry added cautiously, not knowing how Ron would react. His expression darkened, and the battle scars on his face seemed to intensify. Ron really hadn't had time to contemplate let alone come to terms with Fred's death, it had happened to quickly, the unfairness of the matter descended over Harry. He thought of Mr and Mrs Weasley who had lost a son, of Ginny whom had lost an older brother and of George who above else would feel lost, like a part of him had died also. Ron continued to stare at the floor his mouth open in speech, but none came out. After a minute he found his voice.

"Just can't believe it Harry, my big brother, it's not fair, it's not right" he murmured

"I know mate, I know." Harry said patting Ron on the arm

At that moment Hermione entered the dormitory, crossed the room and hugged Harry.

"Brand new day ahead of us, Flitch is still trying to clean up downstairs, don't know why he's bothering really the Order will get this place back to normal soon enough and Kingslys set off for the Ministry to tell them what happened." She exclaimed

Harry gestured at Ron who was still staring at the floor a blank expression holding his features in place. Slowly he looked up at her and solitary tear spilled out of the corner of Hermione's eye, she took Ron's hand and sat beside him. Ron tried to speak again but words failed him, he took to stroking Hermione's long hair for comfort as she leant against his chest. Harry decided to leave them alone for the time being and search the castle for Ginny, he had not spoken to her for such a long time it hurt not to be with her, like every moment he spent away from her was wasted. Now that he knew how precious every minute was he wasn't going to waste any more time sleeping. Harry got to his feet and put his arms around them both, he would never be able to explain it to them but he was more grateful for them than for his own life. It was they who had stuck by him all these years, they who had faced death for him and they who had been through just about anything to keep him safe. Ron clapped him on the back and Hermione gripped his arm tightly, as he released them he knew by the look in their eyes that they understood. He got up to leave and Hermione rose as well. Turning to Ron she said "I'm just going to take Harry to Ginny and then I'll be right back, ok?"

Ron just nodded, and as she stooped down and kiss him on the head. Harry strode over to his jacket and pulled it on, then began to descend the staircase alone. Hermione caught up with him halfway down, ashen faced and watery eyed.

"Do you think Ron's going to be ok?" he asked faintly

"He's exhausted he needs sleep, that's why I thought I'd take you..." But she was cut off

"Not that, I mean about Fred"

She looked worried and slightly tearful. "I am sure if we give him time, it's a big thing Harry. He's just in shock at the moment, and why not considering all that's happened. He needs to grieve but until it sinks in there's not much we can do for him." She finished

"I wish I could help" said Harry "I feel so responsible, it's my fault!"

"Harry how can you say that? You saved thousands of lives, you killed Lord Voldemort, and you ended all this madness!"

"Yeah but at what cost. Tonks and Lupin are gone. Teddy's lost his parents. He'll be alone, if I'd just been quicker got to Voldemort before …" But he couldn't carry on.

"Harry he won't be alone he has you, your his Godfather he couldn't have anyone better"

"And what about Fred...how could I ve let this happen Hermione. I was supposed to be the one who protected everyone, instead everyone else died for me. All the people I care about seem to end up getting killed!" He did feel responsible no matter what Hermione said, he was the reason his best friend was upstairs right now sat on his bed staring at the floor utterly devastated. All the things Ron had done for him and now he, Harry had gotten his brother killed.

"Does he hate me?" Harry asked quietly staring at his shoes.

"Who"

"Ron, does he hate me?"

"Harry of course not" Hermione said exasperatedly "He doesn't blame you in the slightest; you saw how he reacted when it happened. He blames the death eaters; they killed him not you. You have nothing to feel guilty for, Ron's just glad he's still got us" She took in a long breath "Go find Ginny it'll do you some good, I know she wants to see you"

"Yeah alright, and thanks Hermione…for everything"

"You're welcome"

And with that she turned and trotted back upstairs. Harry watched her until she rounded the corner then carried on down the corridor. He found Ginny sitting in the great hall with Luna and Neville who were talking quietly. Neville spotted him first "Hiya Harry" he said.

"Morning" Harry said grinning as Ginny raised her head to look at him. She lifted herself from the bench and ran to him. Her body hit Harry hard and every small ache in his body burned but he did not care. Ginny wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. He could feel her warm breath on his skin and smell the sweet flowery scent coming from her hair. Over Ginny's shoulder Harry saw Luna take Neville's hand and lead him away. He was grateful for this, to be alone with Ginny. He let go of her and she looked at him, smiling. She was so beautiful. To think that he could have lost her as well, it didn't bear thinking about. Her deep brown eyes burned into his, her red hair fell about her shoulders, creating little waves around her exquisitely shaped face. The look she gave him said one thing; Harry voiced what they were both thinking.

"I am so glad this is over" he said fervently

"Me too" Ginny answered the faintest trace of a laughter in her voice

As they both turned they saw an amusing scene. Luna was absentmindedly waving her right hand around Neville's ear as if swatting a rather elusive fly.

"Erm... Luna what are you doing?" Neville asked tentatively

"There's a Racspurt on your ear" Luna answered dreamily

"You're so amazing Luna, you know that?" he said as he caught her hand mid swipe and held it.

"That's very nice Neville" she said smiling at him, yet still apparently apprehended by the Racspurt that was now zooming around Neville's head.

"I've seen stranger couples" said Ginny resting her head on Harry's shoulder and chuckling "Hagrid and Madam Maxine could give them a run for their money...although she does remind me of Fleur" she finished grimacing.


End file.
